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How did humans evolve to not be able to survive off saltwater? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I know in a pinch people could maybe tolerate small amounts of saltwater, but if I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure you can't survive off it alone, and so...How'd that happen?

It seems kind of bizarre, but I guess the further inland people went the more advantageous it was to shed any such capacity to process saltwater?

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

We don't have to; like most mammals, humans habitually seek out fresh water sources on land, and these are pretty abundant on much of the planet.

Even many aquatic mammals don't drink seawater. Seals get water from their food; ocean fish is much less salty than the water they live in. Manatees move between salty, brackish, and fresh water; and they drink when they're in the fresh water. Polar bears eat snow.

Whales, dolphins, and sea otters can drink seawater. But they're pretty weird.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Do you have more animal fun facts? You're nailing this.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What land animals CAN drink seawater?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Cats.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is legitimately a TIL fact.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Same here! Glad you asked tbh, as I was also curious about the broader question but felt it might be easier to keep it narrow.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I thought salt kills cats. I'm confused.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

...Is this a really slick Spongebob reference...? 🤔

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Whatever it is I'm sure it's Australian.